Brampton Transit riders will lose four routes and see reduced service on several more starting Aug. 4, while the City of Brampton continues to withhold nearly all details of the $10.9-million contract it signed with private transit company Argo — a deal now before an adjudicator with Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The Pointer reported that routes 33, 36, 55 and 56 are being cut entirely, with adjustments that may include reduced frequencies on routes 501, 502, 505, 561, 5/5A, 13 and 18. The changes were announced recently and have drawn a backlash on social media.
"This is ridiculous, as someone who semi-regularly uses route 55, yes it isn't a packed bus, but it provides an important service, and theres so many including many seniors who rely on it to get around," Reddit user Stead-Freddy posted.
The poster wrote that the cuts go against the city's stated goal of bringing transit within 400 metres of every home, and urged riders to contact their councillors and the mayor.
The route reductions come as questions mount over the city's agreement with Argo Transit. According to The Pointer, Mayor Patrick Brown approved the nearly $11-million deal without a single public report or explanation of how the contract came about. Argo had been operating for less than a year when the agreement was signed.
When The Pointer filed a freedom of information request for the contract, the city released roughly 1,500 pages — 86 percent fully redacted, with another six percent redacted so heavily they were effectively unreadable. The city withheld the final contract, claiming exemptions under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, though the Information and Privacy Commissioner states such exemptions generally apply to ongoing or anticipated negotiations, not completed agreements.
In July, after The Pointer narrowed its request to the contract alone, the matter was referred to an adjudicator for review, further extending residents' wait to see what their tax dollars are paying for. City staff have ignored numerous requests for details about Argo's ridership, The Pointer reported.
Caledon, meanwhile, has become the second Peel municipality to partner with the company.
Argo announced June 25 a 15-month micro-transit pilot with the Town of Caledon, set to launch in September. The $4.61-million agreement runs from Oct. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2027, with an option to extend through 2028. It will be funded with $1.1 million from the Provincial Gas Tax Reserve and $3.51 million from the Town's Capital Asset Replacement Fund, with Argo taking on all fare revenue risk for the pilot's duration.
"As of right now, it's Bolton, Caledon East and Southfields/Mayfield West. Our goal is to be able to then deliver this service townwide," Wards 3 and 4 Councillor Mario Russo said at an Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting on July 20.
The service will use fully electric, wheelchair-accessible minibuses carrying up to 18 passengers, accepting PRESTO payments and integrating Ontario's One Fare program, with connections to GO Transit, Brampton Transit and York Region Transit. The Town is targeting a median wait time of 20 minutes.
"Caledon continues to explore innovative solutions to improve how residents move throughout our community," Caledon Mayor Annette Groves said in a statement.
The Pointer reported staff have been instructed to report on Argo's performance at the halfway mark and after 12 months, along with a recommendation on whether three replaced Brampton Transit routes should remain paused. Burlington council is also studying a possible Argo pilot, a move that has drawn criticism from residents concerned private service could pull funding away from underserved communities.
For Brampton riders, the immediate impact arrives Aug. 4, when the route cuts take effect.
